Small piece folders



May 24, 1955 J. E. GILCHRIST SMALL PIECE FOLDERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 9, 1951 R $1 MW my H mm K hm INVENTOR. JOHN E. GILCHRIST BY QATTORNEY May 24, 1955 J. E. GILCHRIST 2,709,080

' SMALL PIECE FOLDERS Filed July 9, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHNE. GILCHRIST ATTORNEY United States Patent SMALL PIECE FOLDERS John E.Gilchrist, Molina, Ill., assignor to American Machine and Metals, Inc.,New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application July 9, 1951,Serial No. 235,794

5 Claims. (Cl. 270-84) The invention relates to a device into which atowel or the like may be fed and which will fold the towel and deliversuccessive towels thus folded to a stack.

More particularly the invention relates to an improvement in that typeof towel folding machine in which the towel is laid out fiat and foldedlongitudinally along two parallel lines by turning inward the portionsoutside of these lines to fold the towel into three layers. Subsequentlythe towel is cross folded so that the folded towel has six layers. Whenfed into the machine all towels, even if they vary slightly in size, arefolded so that, when the finished folded towels are stacked, they willall have the same width and only the lengths of the folded towels willvary.

The invention is an improvement on the type of folder illustrated in thepatent granted to Robert L. Sjostrom on March 20, 1951, hearing No.2,545,798.

In machines of this type the sides of the towel are folded inward over ametal plate and the Width of this metal plate determines the width ofthe folded towel.

' Since it is desired to fold the towel into roughly three evensections, it is obvious that for a given plate only towels of certainwidths can be folded satisfactorily. Thus, if the machine is set forhand towels, and bath towls are to be folded, parts of the machine haveto be dismantled, a wider plate substituted, and the stroke of theshuttle plates which push the sides of the towel over the center plateadjusted.

In folders of the type illustrated in the Sjostrom patent referred tothe towel is carried into position so that its central section liesbelow a center plate while the sides of the towel are supported onshuttle plates which are at a slightly higher elevation than the centralplate. When the tapes which carry the towel into place have brought thetowel to the proper position, the towel is held against further movementsuch as by a pad which holds the towel against the center plate and thentimed mechanism brings the shuttle plates in, one platecoming in firstto fold over one side of the towel, and the other plate coming in nextto fold over the other side of the towel. After both shuttle plates havemade their movement and returned to their original positions the towelis released and carried on to the place where it is cross folded andthen the towel passes down a chute to the stacking device. In the patentreferred to the shuttle plates are moved by shafts and cranks carried bythe shafts.

In the pending application filed by Sjostrom on September 2, 1950, andbearing Ser. No. 183,063 air operated shuttle plates are substituted forthe mechanically moved shuttle plates in the patent referred to, As morefully explained in the pending application, the arrival of the towel inthe position for folding closes circuits which cause the towel to beheldin position against further longitudinal movement and closes thecircuits which open a solenoid controlled air valve that moves oneshuttle plate forward. This shuttle plate, as it moves forward, engagescertain switches which cause the other 2,709,080 Patented May 24, 1955shuttle plate in turn to move forward while the shuttle plate whichmoved initially returns to its position. When the second shuttle platehas completed its movement it will also have engaged micro switcheswhich control one solenoid operated valve which will have caused thecylinder to withdraw the shuttle plate and another valve to release thetowel to allow it to move on to the cross folding position as describedin the Sjostrom patent referred to.

When the towel reaches the cross folding position, the forward edgepasses under a photocell which actuates the means for cross folding.

it has been found that folders of this type were limited in practicebecause they do not permit folding towels into varied widths. This is ofspecial importance if bath towels are to be folded. A further limitationof the existing machine is that, when running bath towels, lintaccumulates on the photocell so that the cross folding is unreliable.

As the present invention is an improvement on the pending Sjostromapplication referred to and retains the air operated shuttle plates andthe electrical circuits which control them, these features need not bedescribed in the present application. 7

Hitherto, if the width of fold was to be changed, a center plate of adiiferent width had to be inserted and the center plate which had beenpreviously used had to be removed.

The travel of the shuttle plates had to be adjusted to the width of thenew plate.

The sides of the chute which guides the towel from j.

the folding machine to the stacker or a table had to be adjusted to thenew width of towel.

The present application is directed to means whereby folders of thistype can be readily adjusted to fold towels of diiferent widths. To dothis three adjustments have to be made.

In the present invention the center plate of the fixed width in theprevious patent and pending applications is replaced by a plate in twosections; each shuttle plate and its actuating cylinder and the microswitch'which it controls are so mounted that they may be moved inunison; and the chute is made in two sections which can be movedrelative to each other.

Also provision is made for blowing the lint from photocell, every time across told is made.

A mechanism actuated manuallywith one crank is provided which will movethe sections of the center plate, the shuttle plates and their drivingunits, and the sections of the chute proportionately.v I

It is now, for the first time, possible for the operator to completerunning towels of one size and then to turn a crank and be preparedimmediately'to run towels" of another size.

One object of the invention is to provide a folder adaptable for use ontowels of various widths which has an adjustable center plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folder having shuttleplates which, together with their driving cylinders, can readily beadjusted for use with towels of different widths.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folder having singleadjustment which will automatically adjust the width of the center plateand the travel. of the shuttle plates.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folder with a singlemanual control by which theoperatorcan automatically adjust the width ofthe center plate, .the travel, of the shuttle plates, and the width ofthe guiding chute, when another width of towel is to be run.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding machine in whichsome of the folding operations are the controlled by a photocell placedbelow the towel to be folded and which responds to an electric lightwhose beams are cut off by a passing towel thereby releasing an air jetwhich automatically blows away lint which may have accumulated on thephotocell as the towels pass through the machine.

Another object of the invention is to support the shuttle plate in sucha manner that it may be moved in a horizontal plane by a cylinderengaging it near its center without binding.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a folder embodying the invention.

7 Fig. 2 is. a vertical cross section along line 2-2 in Fig. 1 with someparts removed, drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

, Fig. 4 is a top viewof the rear portion of the machine showni'n Fig. 1with someportions omitted. This is also drawn to an enlarged scale.

Fig. 5 is" a vertical section along line 55 in Fig. 1 also drawn to anenlarged scale, showing the means for supporting the sections of thecentral plate and. omitting some portions.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken along line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the shuttle plate.

In these drawings, and more especially Fig. l, the posts of the folderframe are indicated at 1. These posts are tied together near the floorlevel by the horizontal bars 2. Longitudinal beams 3 tie some of theposts together near the top forming a frame generally similar to that ofa table.

A depressed plate 4, supported between beams 3, carries mechanism to bedescribed. The frame supports a motor 5, which, through its attachedspeed reducer drives the folder. The frame also carries an air line 6which is connected to a source of air under pressure at 7.

The, pieces to be folded are received at the left on parallel belts 8that are passed around rollers 1t which are supported in the frame.

These belts are moved continuously in the direction of the arrow in Fig.l by the motor 5 through a drive, not shown. a

After the piece is folded in the manner described below, its forward endpasses under a light 11 and this causes air to be discharged fromopenings 12 in pipe 13 in a manner to be described.

This causes a cross fold by pushing the piece already foldedlongitudinally between rollers 14 and 3.5 turning in oppositedirections.

The cross folded piece is delivered through the inclined chute generallyindicated at 16 to the right hand end of the folder in Fig. 1.

A metal plate 17 is supported near the center of this frame as shown inFig. 5 and serves as a table for horizontal belts 8. These endless belts8, sliding over the table, carry the piece 18, which we will refer to byway ofillustration as a towel, forward into position for folding on thetable. As the towel is carried by these belts onto the table 17 itpasses under the two sections 20, 21 of a center plate 22. These centerplate sections 20, 211 as shown in Fig. 2, extend over the full lengthof the maximum sized towel to be folded on the machine and are supportedonly at the left hand end as shown in Fig. 1., They are attached to thevertical plates 23, 24 as shown in Fig. 5. The vertical plate 23 carriestwo sleeves 25 and 26. The plate 24 carries two similar sleeves 27 and28. which permits them to slide on a horizontal shaft 343. The sleeve 25has a right hand thread and the sleeve 28 has a left hand thread meshingwith corresponding right and left hand threads at 31 and 32 on the shaft3-9. This shaft 3% is rotatably supported in two posts 33 and Thesleeves 25 and 27 have a cylindrical bore carries on its end a bevelgear 34. This gear meshes with a bevel gear 35 on the vertical shaft 36,also supported in a post 33. At its lower end the shaft 36 carriesanother bevel gear 37 which meshes with a bevel gear 38 carried by ashaft 40. It is obvious that by turning the shaft 40 the two plates 23,24 will be moved toward or away from each other and that in this way thetwo sections 26, 21 of the center plate 22 are correspondingly moved. Inthis manner the width 41, Fig. 2, of the center section to which thetowel is to be folded may be selected.

As explained in the patent referred to, when the piece to be foldedreaches the proper position on plate 17 for the folding to take place, asolenoid 42 is energized and this prevents the piece from moving furtherforward to the right in Fig. 1 even though the belts 8 continue to run.

The towel is folded by two shuttle plates 43 and 44 whose support andmethod of operation will next be described.

These shuttle plates which must move rapidly, are supported only ontheir one edge as shown in Fig. 2 and must remain in a horizontal plane.Each plate is moved only by the single cylinder near its center yet itsends must not tip. This is accomplished by the construction shown inFigs. 3 and 7.

A stationary rod 45 extends from one side of the frame to the other andis fixed therein. A rectangular block 46 slides on this rod. This blockis made long and a girder 47 is attached to one face of the block. Inthis way the shuttle plate is held in a plane parallel to the rod 45above it. This prevents its ends from tilting. This girder carriesrollers 48 free to turn on studs 50. These rollers roll on cross bars 51which are also supported by the frame beams 3. Thus a simple,non-binding support is provided for the shuttle plate.

The girder 47 supports the shuttle plate 43 as shown in Fig. 2. In asimilar manner another girder 52 supports the plate 44. Plate 44 is in aplane slightly higher than that of the plate 43. These shuttle plates 43and 44 have a horizontal reciprocating motion which enables each to passover the top of the sections of the center plate 22.

As the two girders 47, 52 move, they will always remain parallel sincethe block 46 and a similar block 53 attached to 52 extend for somelength along the rod 45 and the rod 54 respectively.

As the belts 8 carry the towel 18 along under the sections 20, 21 of thecenter plate 22, the edges of the towel are suitably guided to slidealong onto the top of shuttle plates 43, and 44 as shown in Fig. 2.

Thus it will appear that if the plates 43 and 44 successively movehorizontally inward after the towel is in place, the towel will befolded into three sections and the center section will be of the widthdetermined by the spacing of the two sections 20, 21 of the center pate.

In order to reciprocate the plates, one plate is provided with an aircylinder 55 and the other is provided with an air cylinder 56. In orderto provide for the lateral adjustment of the plates the position in theframe of each air cylinder can be varied.

For greater clarity only the air cylinder which reciprocates plate 43 isshown in Fig. 2. The adjustment of the plate 44 is accomplished byduplicate equipment supported on the stationary rod 54 which is at thesame level as rod 45 and parallel thereto. Describing first themechanism for the operation of the plate as it shuttles back and forth,the block 46 already referred to and which moves the plate 43, has adownward extension 57. Slidably carried on rod 45 is an L-shaped frame58 which extends down to receive a rod 60 which is threaded at thispoint. The rod 60 is supported below the rod 45 and parallel thereto.This rod is rotatably supported in posts 61 attached to plate 4 andcarries left and right hand threaded sections 62 and 63. It will be seenthat by turning the rod the frame 58 will be moved along the rod. I

The frame 58 carries the air cylinder 55. This cylinder carries a pistonand the piston rod 64 of this piston is connected to the downwardextension 57 of the block 46. Air is supplied either to the end 65 or toend 66 of the cylinder through lines 67 and 68 respectively. The portsto lines 67 and 68 are spaced some distance from the end of the cylinderso that, as the piston moves toward either end of the cylinder, air willbe trapped at the exhaust side to provide a cushion which prevents ametallic impact. The lines 67, 68 are flexible and they are connected toa three-way valve 70 which is selectively actuated by either of twosolenoids 71 and 72. One of these solenoids will connect the source ofair pressure 73 with line 67, and thus will move the piston rod 64 tothe right and cause the shuttle plate 43 to move to the right. At theproper time the pressure line 73 will be connected to line 68 and line67 will be connected to an exhaust 74, thus returning the piston to theleft and returning shuttle plate 43 to the left.

The shuttle plate 44 is moved in the same manner by means of themechanism including a shaft 54, block 53, extension 75, frame 76 andcylinder 58 all similar to the respective parts 45, 46, 57, 58, 55,which move plate 43.

When no towel is passing through the machine the pressure line 73 willbe connected to line 68 holding the plate 43 at the left end of itsrange of travel in Fig. 2.

If the distance between the two sections 20 and 21 of the center plate22 is changed it is necessary to change the position of the cylinderswhich actuate the plates 43 and 44 so that they will make the foldcorrectly. To do this it is merely necessary to turn the rod 60. The rod60 carries at one end a bevel gear 77 which meshes with a bevel gear 78carried on the shaft 40. Thus it will be seen that turning shaft 40 willmove not only the sections 20, 21 of the center plate but also the twoair cylinders which move plates 43 and 44. It will be noted that shaft60 moves both plates since it passes through both L-shaped frames 58 and76.

After the sides of the towel have been folded in by the shuttle plates43, 44 the solenoid 42 releases the towel and the belts 8 carry thetowel forward so that its forward end passes between the light 11 and anelectric eye 80. These two items are mounted on a frame 81 whoseposition is adjustable on the main frame of the machine, but whoseadjustment is not shown.

As the light beam is interrupted, current is supplied to a solenoidactuated air valve 82 which lets air under F pressure to pass throughline 83 to the cross pipe 13 which has openings at 12 on its under side.This air pushes the towel downward so that the two rollers 14, 15 willdrag the towel into the space between them and deliver it to the chute16 over the deflecting plate One of the features of the invention isthat the difficulty hitherto experienced by lint accumulating on thephotocell and stopping the operation of the machine, is eliminated bydelivery of a puff of air through a jet 79 every time a towel is folded.

The chute 16 is made in two sections 85, 86. The sides of the chutesections 85 and 86 are turned up as shown at 87, 88 and the distance 90between the side plates 87, 88 should be slightly greater than the widthof the finished folded towel so that the towels may be correctly guidedinto a stacking device. Each of these two sections is supported by ahanger 91 which is attached to a sleeve 92 that slides on a cross rod 93supported in the frame. This cross rod may be threaded left and right onits two ends as shown at 94 and nuts 95 engaged by these threads areconnected by the hangers 91 to the sliding sleeves 92. On shaft 93 iscarried a bevel gear 96 which meshes with another gear 97. This bevelgear 97 is supported on the long shaft 40. A

handle 98 at the end of shaft 40 thus permits turning the shaft and thussimultaneously adjusting the spacing of the two sections 20, 21 of thecenter plate, the posi tion of plates 43 and 44 and the distance betweenside plates 87, 88.

In the operation of this machine, the operator sets the machine byturning the handle 98 so that the center plate sections are spaced adistance suitable for the particular towel to be folded. This operationwill automatically adjust the position of the shuttle plates and theirdriving members and the sides of the chute so-that as the towels are fedinto the machine they will be passed onto the table, be stopped, foldedby the shuttle plates and passed on, all as describd in the pendingapplication Sjostrorn 183,063. As the towel whose sides have been foldedin now passes under the light 11, it will interrupt the light beamacting on photo cell 80 and this will actuate the solenoid operatedair'valve 82 in an air line 83 which is a branch of line 6. Thissupplies air to the pipe 13 and to the pipe 99 which blows the lint fromthe photo cell 80.

The cross folded towel is now delivered through the chute whose widthhas been adjusted to suit that lot of towels.

What I claim is:

1. In a folder for towels or the like, in combination, a table, twoco-planar plates, means associated with said table for supporting saidco-planar plates above said table by one of their ends, means forcarrying a piece to be folded between the table and said co-planarplates, shuttle plates located above said co-planar plates and to eitherside thereof onto which the outer portions of said piece to be foldedare carried when the piece is moved into place with its central portionlocated between said co-planar plates and said table, power operatedmeans for moving said shuttle plates in a predetermined range over saidco-planar plates in succession to thereby fold the piece into threelayers, and an adjustment device associated with said co-planar platesand said power operated means to simultaneously move said co-planarplates, relative to each other and to adjust the range of operation ofsaid shuttle plates.

2. In a folder for towels or the like, in combination, a table, twoco-planar plates, means associated with said table for supporting saidco-planar plates above said table by one of their ends, means forcarrying a piece to be folded between the table and said co-planarplates, shuttle plates located above said co-planar plates and to eitherside thereof onto which the outer portions of said piece to be foldedare carried when the piece is moved into place with its central portionlocated between said co-planar plates and said table, power operatedmeans for moving said shuttle plates in a predetermined manner in apreselected range over said co-planar plates to thereby fold the piece,and an adjustment device associated with said co-planar plates and saidpower operated means to simultaneously move said c0-planar platesrelative to each other and to adjust the range of operation of saidshuttle plates. 7

3. In a folder for towels or the like, in combination, a table, twoco-planar plates, means associated with said table for supporting saidco-planar plates above said table at one of their ends while the otherends rest upon said table, means for carrying a piece to be foldedbetween the table and said co-planar plates past said supporting means,shuttle plates located above said co-planar plates and to either sidethereof onto which the outer portions of said piece to be folded arecarried when the piece is moved into place with its central portionlocated between said co-planar plates and said table, power operatedmeans for moving said shuttle plates in a predetermined manner over saidco-planar plates to thereby fold the piece, and an adjustment deviceassociated with said co-planar plates and said power operated means tosimultaneously move said co-planar plates relative 'to' each other andto adjust the manner of operation of said shuttle plates.

' 4. In a folder for towels or the like, in combination, a table, twoco-planar plates, means associated with said table for supporting saidco-planar plates above said table, first adjustment means for movingsaid co-planar plates relative to each other equally in oppositedirections, means for carrying a piece to be folded between the tableand said co-planar plates past said supporting means, shuttle plateslocated above said co-planar plates and to either side thereof ontowhich the outer portions of said piece to be folded are carried when thepiece is moved into place with its central portion located between saidco-planar plates and the table, power operated means for moving saidshuttle plates a predetermined distance over said co-planar plates in adirection parallel to the table in succession thereby folding the pieceinto three layers, and second adjustment means connected to said firstadjustment means and associated with said power operated means forchanging the distance of movement of said shuttle plates.

5. In a folder for towels or the like, in combination, a table, twoco-planar plates, means associated with said table for supporting saidco-planar plates above said table, first adjustment means for movingsaid co-planar plates relative to each other in opposite directions,means for carrying a piece to be folded between the table'and saidco-planar plates, shuttle plates located above said co-planar plates andto either side thereof and parallel therewith onto which the outerportions of said piece to be folded are carried when the piece is movedinto place with its central portion located between said co-planarplates and the table, power operated means for moving said shuttleplates over said co-planar plates in succession thereby folding thepiece into three layers, and second adjustment means associated withsaid first adjustment means and said power operated means for changingoperation of said shuttle plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS105,099 Lorton et a1. July 5, 1870 229,419 Jones June 29, 1880 282,166Coates et al. -1 July 31, 1883 684,286 Millhiser et al. Oct. 8, 19011,838,704 Potdevin Dec. 29, 1931 2,094,594 Gaubert Oct. 5, 19372,106,953 Ludewig Feb. 1, 1938

